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EG1110 Signals and Systems

Exercise 1: Simple signal problems

Some useful identities

Complex number in Cartesian form z = x + jy

Complex number in Polar form z = rejθ where

q
y
r = |z| = x2 + y 2 θ = arg z = tan−1
x
Euler’s Identity

ejθ = cos θ + j sin θ

Problems

1. Using Euler’s identity prove that

1
cos θ = (ejθ + e−jθ )
2
[Hint: derive an expression for e−jθ ]

2. Using Euler’s identity prove that

sin(θ + φ) = sin θ cos φ + cos θ sin φ

Note that Euler’s Identity can be used to prove many trigonometric formulae.

3. Show that the phase shifted sine wave

r cos(ωt + φ)

can be written as the sum of scaled sine and cosine waves of the same frequency

a cos(ωt) + b sin(ωt)

Give expressions for r and θ. [Hint: use the trigonometric identity cos(x + y) = cos(x) cos(y) −
sin(x) sin(y) (prove if you have time)]

4. Show that
d jωt
(e ) = jωejωt
dt
[Hint: use Euler’s identity]

5. A decaying exponential sinusoid is given by

x(t) = ke−at cos(ωt), a>0

Sketch this signal, labelling points at which x(t) = 0 and points at which x(t) = ±ke −at .
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Solutions

1. We have the Euler Identity:

ejθ = cos θ + j sin θ (1)

From this it follows that

e−jθ = cos θ − j sin θ (2)

So adding the two above equations we have

ejθ + e−jθ = 2 cos θ

from which one can find cos θ.

2. Similar to above, subtracting equation (2) from equation (1) gives:

ejθ − e−jθ = 2j sin θ

and so
1 jθ
sin θ = (e − e−jθ )
2j
Therefore, replacing θ by θ + φ we have

1 j(θ+φ) − e−j(θ+φ) )
sin(θ + φ) = 2j (e
1 jθ jφ −jθ e−jφ )
= 2j (e e − e

Using Euler’s identity on each e±jx then gives:

1
sin(θ + φ) = 2j [(cos θ + j sin θ)(cos φ + j sin φ)
−(cos θ − j sin θ)(cos φ − j sin φ)]
1

= 2j cos θ cos φ + j cos θ sin φ + j sin θ cos φ − sin θ sin φ

−cos θ cos φ + j sin θ cos φ + j cos θ sin φ + sin θ sin φ
1
= 2j [2j sin θ cos φ + 2j cos θ sin φ]
= sin θ cos φ + cos θ sin φ

Q.E.D

3. Using the trigonometric identity:

r cos(ωt + φ) = r cos(φ) cos(ωt) − r sin(φ) sin(ωt)

and comparing the right hand side to the expression given in the question:

a cos(ωt) + b sin(ωt)

it follows that
a = r cos(φ)
b = −r sin(φ)
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From this we have that

•

a2 + b2 = r2 cos2 (φ) + r 2 sin2 (φ)

= r2 [cos2 (φ) + sin2 (φ)]
| {z }
=1
= r2
√
Thus r = a2 + b2
• Performing the division
−r sin(φ) b
=
r cos(φ) a
Thus implies − tan(φ) = b/a and hence φ = tan−1 (−b/a).
4.
d jωt ) d
dt (e = dt [cos(ωt) + j sin(ωt)]
= −ω sin(ωt) + jω cos(ωt)
= ω[j cos(ωt) − sin(ωt)]
= jω[cos(ωt) + j sin(ωt)]
= jωejωt

5. x(t) = ke−at cos(ωt).

Thus we have zeros when cos(ωt) = 0, i.e. at points:

π 3π 5π
t= , , ...
2ω 2ω 2ω

Similarly x(t) = ±ke−at when cos(ωt) = 1, i.e. when

π 2π
t = 0, , ,...
ω ω

At t = 0, x(t) = k. Thus we have a waveform as shown below (plotted with ω = 5 and a = 0.5 and
k = 1)

0.8

2π/ω
0.6

0.4 4π/ω

6π/ω
0.2
Amplitude [units]

−0.2
5π/ω
−0.4
3π/ω
−0.6

−0.8 π/ω

−1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Time [sec]